Bon Jovi - The Circle / When We Were Beautiful (CD + DVD)
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Bon JoviBrand: Baker & Taylor
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: CD+DVD, Special Edition
CD Release Date: 2009-11-10
Music Label: Island Records
Soundtracks:
- We Weren't Born to Follow
- When We Were Beautiful
- Work for the Working Man
- Superman Tonight
- Bullet
- Thorn In My Side
- Live Before You Die
- Brokenpromiseland
- Love's the Only Rule
- Fast Cars
- Happy Now
- Learn to Love
Free Music Notes for The Circle / When We Were Beautiful (CD + DVD)
Free Music Review: On it's own merits...not compared to older material...
Hit: 5 Stars
Being a Bon Jovi fan for 25 years presents certain challenges. Expectations can be very high. Nostalgia can hinder objectivity. "Favorite" becomes an impossible word to use. Do I love "Slippery"? Of course. Is it 1986 anymore? Nope. And I'm glad for that. Without Bon Jovi moving on from the Slippery and New Jersey days, they'd be supporting the local fair's presentation of "The Rock Never Stops" tour. They made it through grunge, alternative, hip hop, neo-punk, and neo-metal because they changed. Evolved. So a lot of people heard that "The Circle" was a return to the rock roots of the band and expected Slippery reborn...and that's not it.
The Circle is somewhat like the earlier recordings in its anthemic drive. Richie does indeed cut loose a few times, and even the ballads end up rocking and/or very large and intense by the closing measures. But it also has flavors of "These Days", HAND, and "Lost Highway". Some have complained that some songs sound a lot like older songs, etc...that may be because the same guys are writing and performing the music. You can't write songs for 25 years and not revisit tendencies, phrasings, and stylistic choices. New Stones has a lot of the old Stones in it. Dylan, The Boss, U2, Clapton, anyone who continues to produce new material, you can always hear the old stuff in it. So yeah, shades of "Born to be my Baby" or "Prayer" are hinted at, but I don't find that they hurt the new songs or melodies.
Is it as good as Slippery? Jersey? Faith? Maybe. Those albums were great, and set the bar really high! So even if it is as good as Slippery, since we know the band so much better now it might not seem as good. I think it's as good as anything they've recorded, but Slippery was new...you know. Like the first time you saw Star Wars. It really wasn't better than Empire or Jedi, but it holds a certain place of reverence for fans because it was the first big one...the first experience with the story. Slippery was most people's first experience with the Bon Jovi story, so it'll always hold a special elevated place for those fans. But "The Circle" is excellent on its own merits.
Songs: The songs are great. A blend of love songs, introspection, and social commentary. It's not as deeply personal as I think "Lost Highway" was, but the songs do have impact on a personal level, and as always, tell stories people can relate with. My favorites are toward the end of the album...Brokenpromiseland, Love's the Only Rule, Fast Cars, Thorn in My Side. The only ones I tend to skip are "Work for the Workin' Man" (cheesy hook, weird millionaire perspective), and "Live Before You Die"...mainly because it's similar to "Walk Like a Man" but not nearly as good...
Politics: Yes, Jon has been more political in the last decade. No, I don't agree with the candidates he backs (since he switched parties between '96 and'00). That being said, it's not overly political, more like social commentary. The funny thing is, the songs actually support a blue collar, workin' man, do for yourself and for others kind of theme that Bon Jovi is known for...work ethic, Jersey, blue collar rock band etc...and these are all very fundamental old-school American values. Work, do good, yourself. Opposite of the current state of our federal gov't where it's all about handouts and bloated gov't agencies running every aspect of American life. It must be hard to see the difference as a multi-millionaire, but he's doing through his philanthropic work exactly what the "needy" need, helping individuals and those who truly need help. Through individuals and private sector work and local gov't, not federal programs. He does a lot of good, and I agree with the philosophy of the songs, if not the reality of the political backing. It is NOT a huge deal permeating the album. Now with a new video out for "Superman Tonight", I wish they'd let the songs be what they are. That song sounds like a love song to me. The video turns it into a "community service" campaign. Nothing wrong with that...I'm all for giving and helping, but I didn't hear that in the song, so the video was weird. A reach, stretch to be something bigger than the song really is.
All in all, I think it is a great album. Anthems, you can (and will) sing along with. Richie smokes in this one, and the band is right on. Vocals are strong, mixing and engineering are top notch. Some good lyrics, some great. Some hopeful, energetic, some emotional...I've listened many times through and have liked it better with each listen. If you're a fan, you'll love it. Will it be your favorite? I no longer have one. It's all so good that I can't choose. I have sentimental favorites, lyrical favorites, stylistic favorites, high energy favorites, sing along favorites...well it goes on and on. Just get it if you like Bon Jovi. No expectations beyond good rock and roll music...and it'll all be good to you, too.
The Circle / When We Were Beautiful (CD + DVD) Poster
Bon Jovi is back with another tremendous rock album "The Circle" which was produced by John Shanks, who also worked with Bon Jovi on Have A Nice Day and Lost Highway. The first single "We Weren't Born To Follow" is the fastest growing single in the band's HISTORY, and the fastest growing ever on the Hot AC chart. Also included is the groundbreaking band documentary When We Were Beautiful. Filmed while the band was on its unprecedented Lost Highway world tour, this is the first intimate look at this legendary group. Unlike the usual band documentary, When We Were Beautiful reveals the inner workings and unique personalities that have made Bon Jovi one of the most successful rock groups of all time.Pop Music CDs
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